Dipo Olowookere
By Brown Justice
Despite surface claims by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that all is well with the party ahead of next year’s general elections, investigation by this reporter shows that all is not well with the party as it is currently embroiled in several internal crisis among which is it’s poor management of the post-primary elections crisis.
It will be recalled that the party conducted it’s primaries between September and October this year, but the outcome of such exercises are still lingering which if not properly addressed may cost it next year’s general elections.
According to close sources within the nation’s judiciary, the Federal High Court in Abuja will on Friday, November 30th decide on a case bordering on wrongful substitution of candidate by the leadership of the party ahead of next year’s general elections.
The case which among other things centers on the outcome of the party’s primary election for Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State which the winner of the said primary was wrongfully substituted with another aspirant of the party believed to be an ex-convict in the United States of America will be decided on the said date.
According to documents sighted by this reporter, the court is to decide whether it is the aspirant that scored the highest number of votes in the PDP primary election conducted for Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State that should be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission for next year’s general election by the party or a loser of the said primary?
Also, the court is to decide whether a candidate fully declared winner of the said primary conducted by the PDP National Assembly Electoral Committee can be substituted with another aspirant of the party without his withdrawal, death or incapacitation?
It is to also decide whether the PDP National Assembly Appeals Panel has the power to nullify a return already made in a primary election without recourse to the National Working Committee of the party among others.
Similar crisis is facing the party in Kogi State especially in Omala Local Government Area where Hon. Okala Edibo was declared winner of the PDP primary for the state House of Assembly election, but was wrongfully substituted with Mr. Friday Omidu.
This reporter was however informed that it is somebody at the PDP Secretariat that is responsible for all the confusions within the party just because he wants to satisfy his personal interest.
However, further investigations showed that Hon. Justice I. E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja would be the presiding judge of the case on Friday.
Meanwhile, analysts are of the view that the court being the last hope of the common man will reverse the injustice done in the Imo State’s PDP primaries.
They argued that with the anti-corruption stance of the Federal Government, some judges in the nation’s judiciary have become fearless in the dispensation of justice without minding whose ox is gored.
According to sources at the EFCC, President Buhari has given nod to request by the EFCC chairman to monitor and clampdown on corrupt judges in the nation’s judiciary.
With the recent warning by the Chief Justice of Nigeria to the judicial officers in the country not to compromise in the delivery justice, it is a sure bet that justice would be done in the matter.
Brown Justice files this investigative report from Abuja
